Raila faults Uhuru for issuing title deeds

Former Prime Minister and CORD leader Raila Odinga addresses a past rally. Photo/JACOB OWITI 

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has faulted President Uhuru Kenyatta for issuing title deeds to squatters at the Coast, saying the move is unconstitutional.

Mr Odinga said identification of genuine landless people and issuance of the title deeds was the mandate of the National Land Commission and not the President or the Cabinet Secretary.

“The work of issuing title deeds is for clerical officers and not for the Head of State,” Mr Odinga said.

“By usurping the commission’s powers, it will be difficult for the government to repossess grabbed land and revert it to the rightful owners,” the Cord leader stated.

Cord co-principal Moses Wetang’ula and Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale echoed the sentiments and asked the President to steer clear of land matters.

President Kenyatta issued the first batch of 60,000 title deeds to Coast residents on Friday.

The former PM also asked Kenyans to press for a referendum, saying that Cord would soon embark on an exercise of collecting five million signatures from across the country to push for the referendum.

He was speaking during the homecoming party of Butere MP Andrew Toboso at Butere Girls School. Legislators from Western and Nyanza attended the ceremony.

Meanwhile, there is intense lobbying for the Siaya Governor seat ahead of the October 17 by-election. Yesterday, Ugenya MP David Ochieng’ said ODM party had not settled on any candidate.

“You will continue to get mixed signals until we get a candidate. It is too early to say that we have settled on anybody. The party structures are working on the issue and whoever is presented to us we will support,” said Mr Ochieng’.

The former Governor Cornel Rasanga on the other hand expressed optimism that ODM would endorse him for the seat. “I hope the party will make a very concrete decision and not a biased one. I vow to remain an ODM member even if the party picks another candidate.”

Although in public the MPs are showing a united front, there is intense behind-the-scenes lobbying.

Nominated MP Oburu Oginga let the cat out of the bag when he said the party should nominate a candidate from Bondo.

Dr Oginga said the Siaya governor’s seat was initially for Bondo and Rarieda constituencies before a candidate from Alego was nominated.

“The seat initially belonged to Bondo before (William) Oduol claimed that he was defeated unfairly during the nominations paving way for Mr Rasanga. I do not see the reason why Mr Oduol took Mr Rasanga to court yet they are all from Alego. If they cannot handle the seat they should return it to its initial owners.”

Among those being fronted for nomination include former PS Kerry Orege from Bondo and former Ambassador Elkana Odembo from Ugenya.